More Like What? Trust in the Opener Experience…It Brought me WHATMORE
By Norah Jerinic-Brodeur
Going to a show and not knowing the opener can truly be a toss-up. At the very minimum, you could enjoy your time at the set and go on your merry way to see the band you had planned for. In some lucky cases, you could end up being pleasantly surprised and have a new artist to obsess over. Who knows, you may even discover one of your new favorite bands…hey, stranger things have happened right? Fortunately for me, my particular experience with WHATMORE falls under the latter.
It was November of 2025 and I truly had not a clue what was in store for me that night. I was stoked regardless because I was about to see one of my all-time favorite bands, Laundry Day, for the first time outside of New York. It was Phoenix after all, quite the trek from the East Coast. There I was, barricaded in the cozy 300 person (give-or-take) capacity venue; The Rebel Lounge. I was ecstatic to be there; I had just met (one of my now) best friends and there was only one thing standing in between me and my next Laundry Day show…the opener.
Before I knew it, five high-energy and stylish boys ran onto the stage. Now, almost 10 months later, I know their opening song “Chicken Shop Date” bar for bar. The energy these boys brought to their short 30-minute set was just unmatched. Once I got home from the show that night I immediately listened to their self-titled album, “WHATMORE”, and began going down the rabbit hole of exploring all of their prior solo music careers.
As cliche as it sounds, the rest is history. I have now seen WHATMORE a total of four times, with another show lined up in the beginning of August. I’ve traveled for WHATMORE shows and let me tell you, I’d do that again in a heartbeat. There is genuinely something special about this group. Maybe it's the fact that they, in my humble opinion, perfectly emulate the contagious feeling associated with New York City. Feelings of possibilities, confidence, and independence that so many of us, myself included, long for. Or maybe it’s the fact that all five members (Sebastiano, Yoshi, Jackson, Cisco, and Elijah) have been a close friend group since they met in high school years ago and are connected in a very rare way through their music and New York identity. Being at a WHATMORE show is so unique. It truly feels as though you are just one of the homies. It sounds silly, but it’s the perfect way to explain the fan-base and community WHATMORE has created in such a short period of time.
Keep in mind, their debut album did not release until October 17th, 2025. It has not even been one full year and the accomplishments this group have already achieved are worth mentioning and celebrating. Not only did WHATMORE open for Laundry Day on their “The Time of Your Life Tour” in the U.S and open for Joey Valence and Brae on their Europe leg of their “HYPERYOUTH Tour”, but they sold out their show in March of 2026 at the 600ish-capacity infamous Bowery Ballroom in New York City. Still not convinced? WHATMORE has also been involved in some of the most iconic festivals happening around the U.S this spring and summer; Coachella, Gov Ball, and Lollapallooza. As much as I’d like to gatekeep WHATMORE, because I’m biased and maybe a little selfish, the more people that get hooked on WHATMORE the better. So many experiences and opportunities have come my way since joining this lovely fan base. Not only are they talented musicians but the boys truly seem to care about connecting with their fans. The energy that WHATMORE brings is contagious and we can’t wait to see where they go next. Shoutout WHATMORE and shoutout New York.
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